The Sheriff of Medicine Bow
by Ship's Cat
Summary: A crossover with The Virginian and Maverick. A fairy tale plot in a western setting complete with wicked stepmother, beautiful stepsisters and an unlikely hero in Bret Maverick.


**THE SHERIFF OF MEDICINE BOW**

**by**

**Gail Gardner**

_**The Virginian:**_

The Judge says it's a sign of the times. I guess you could call it that. Progress is what some folks might say. As for the Sheriff himself, well, I guess for him it might be just luck. It wasn't too long ago when a lawman quit his job, it meant he got himself killed. The town would spring for a fancy box and have a nice funeral and bring on the next feller with a quick gun to wear the star.

Sheriff Mark Abbott lived long enough to retire. "It's a young man's job." He said to the Judge. "I figger I've done enough shooting and arresting for ten lifetimes."

Well, once that dust died down, people started talking about getting a new sheriff. None of Mark's deputies were keen on the job and frankly while they were good men, they didn't have the grit to be the sheriff.

Of course Trampas and Steve both figgered they'd do. Them two? The only experience they have in the law is from the inside of the jail after a Saturday night whoop-de-do. I told them as much and they were real put out.

"I'm real fast." Trampas said pulling out his gun and doing fancy spinning. Darn fool will shoot his foot off someday.

"Yeah." I told him. "But a sheriff has got to know when to draw and why. You don't have a lick of sense in your head. That's why I'm the boss."

"Well neither does Steve then." Trampas cuffed Steve. "He gets all hot under the collar for nothing."

"Whaddaya mean nothing?" Steve says hot-temperedly, and cuffs Trampas back, only a little harder.

"You are good cowhands. Not lawmen. Besides which the Judge and the city council are going to decide who the next sheriff is, not me." I broke up the fight before it could start. Sometimes riding herd on these boys is like teaching kids to mind.

"There you are!" Betsy breezed in like a tornado. "The judge is looking for you!"

"Hey! There you are! The next sheriff of Medicine Bow!" Trampas looked hopeful.

"Yeah. The Virginian would be a great sheriff!" Steve chimed in. It didn't take much to figure what was going through those two boys heads. The Sheriff being a friend wouldn't be too likely to lock them up for trouble making - yeah in a pig's eye!

I felt my mouth go dry, I hoped not. I was happy being Shiloh foreman. I'm not cut out for being a lawman, though the Judge and the others might think different. "And who would ride herd over you bunch of yahoos?" I asked dryly, getting my hat.

"Me, of course!" Betsy cut in. "I could be the boss."

We all laughed, which of course made her mad. She flounced out of there mighty quick, not waiting for me to go with her up to the house.

When I got there, they were waiting. The Judge only nodded when I came in and waved a hand to the side table where the men had been making some inroads on the Judge's fine Kentucky bourbon. I took a small glass to be social like and waited.

"Some of us..." Mayor Purdy started out. He looked at the Judge and Mr.Smith the lawyer, "Were thinking that you might be interested in the Sheriff's job."

"Nope." I told him shortly.

"I told you." Judge Garth smiled and toasted me with his glass. "He's too damn smart for the job."

"Now wait a second, Judge..." Mark began testily and then relaxed. "Yeah, being a lawman isn't the wisest choice. A young man can do better."

"Well that takes care of that." The banker, Mr. Rostof, said none too pleasant like. One expects a banker to be a bit ruthless, but Rostof was a mite meaner than he had to be.

I tossed off the rest of the drink and turned to leave.

"Just a moment." The Judge looked thoughtful. "You know Emmett Ryker don't you?"

I nodded. Emmett and I were on a posse together last year. We spent two weeks on the trail after a bunch of rustlers. You get to know a man pretty well after an experience like that. He'd been after the bunch for a month. Last I heard he was a deputy in a little town in Montana.

"He mentioned you'd give a word or two about him." Garth tapped a letter that was on his desk.

I thought carefully. "He's good with a gun." I paused. "And he knows when he needs to use it."

"Anything else?" Mayor Purdy asked.

"He's a good man to ride the river with." The rest of the men around the room nodded with the accolade.

"Well it's Ryker or Wilmington..." They started in on their arguing.

"Excuse me, but Buck Wilmington?" I asked just before leaving.

"You know him?" Mark asked.

"He's good, but you better keep your daughters locked up at night. Wilmington collects women like Mr.Rostof here collects debts." It was an unkindly dig for both parties, but needed saying.

"I think that settles it, then." The Judge stood up. This may have been a committee decision, but the Judge had things his way. He usually does. "We can offer the job to Ryker."

_**Bret Maverick:**_

It's not like I go looking for trouble. Like brother Bart says, it just sometimes comes and bites you on the...uh...well you know what I mean. Of course being a professional gambler you expect the usual sort of things. Being called a cheater, run out of town by the good folk, winning from the kind of fellow that doesn't like to lose.

Okay, part of it was my fault. I didn't have to go along with the whole thing but two things decided me. One was that things were getting a little hot in the town I was in at the time. I had been lucky. Too lucky, some were saying.

"Dammit Maverick," One loud mouth opinionated fellow said, "You're the most unscrupulous gambler I've ever met. You'd clean your mother out of her last dime." The reputation began to stick and decent people began to look edgy. That's the time to leave, no matter how good the luck. Good folk have a nasty way of finding ways to get even with winning gamblers.

So, when the gentleman made a business proposition, I was more than ready to take it up. That brings me to the second reason, but I think I best explain that to you later. You'll understand it better that way.

_**Jane Jotain:**_

It isn't often that I get the chance to take part in festivities and happy occasions, so when everyone got all spruced up and ready to greet the new sheriff, I took the opportunity to go for a swim.

I had no interest whatsoever in seeing the man. Well, I was hardly a desperate criminal on the run from the law. He was more likely to arrest me for not crossing the street fast enough, though I can move quickly when needs be. Unlike my step-sisters, I was surely not in the running for attracting attention. For one thing I was already an old maid as Lily liked to call me, and a cripple which was Rose's pet name.

Let me clarify the facts. I am 24, which is not that old, but next to Lily's 18 and Rose's 19 one foot in the grave. As for the cripple part, well I do limp still and when I stand too much or walk a long way the muscles cramp. Step-mother makes sure I do enough work for that to happen more than I like, but I have come to expect it and bear the pain in silence. I bear a lot in silence. Somehow folk expect when you are deficient in movement it affects your brain. So, a lot of people treat me like a simpleton. It was easier in the long run just to keep my mouth shut than to argue the fact.

Now, before you start to feel sorry for me, don't. It isn't if life is impossible. I have a roof over my head, plenty to eat and I have friends. Not many, mind you, but good ones. If I have one fault it is being too sensible. Lily and Rose don't have a brain between them, but they are exceedingly beautiful which is enough for them. They are also horribly spoiled, but I suppose that is just my opinion.

So, anyway, I decided to go for a swim. Swimming is the one exercise that doesn't hurt my leg too much and I actually feel better after a good hour or so of paddling. I have a spot that not many people know about. Step-mother would have a fit if she knew.

The water was a bit cold at first, but as usual it felt wonderful after I swam around a bit. I could feel my muscles begin to relax. We had really cleaned the house from top to bottom, just in case the sheriff would be coming to call - poor man. Of course it was me who did the scrubbing and washing.

"Erhem."

I looked around. That sure didn't sound like a frog. Then I saw him. He was sitting all relaxed in the saddle apparently enjoying the view.

"Didn't know there were mermaids in these parts." He didn't smile, but I could tell he was having fun. Suddenly the water seemed twice as cold and I felt twice as warm.

"Go away." I said, though I'm afraid it came out rather squeaky. I slowly paddled away from the shore just in case he was going to get any closer. I had on my chemise, though that wasn't a lot of good soaking wet. What he could see was highly visible. I was desperately trying to tread water and cover my breasts which isn't easy.

"You shouldn't be here on your own..."

"Go Away!" I tried for the firm voice that worked with the chickens and the dog. It always impressed them. To my surprise it worked. He left. Boy, was I relieved.

Wasn't I?

_**The Virginian:**_

Ya think it was a carnival with all the fuss going on about the new sheriff. Steve and Trampas were planning some devilment. I could just tell from that all too innocent 'who me?' look on their sorry faces.

"Is he fast? You know with a gun? Fast as me?" Trampas was being really proddy, and we were supposed to be doing work.

"He's fast enough." I said pulling on the wire to get it tight.

"How about with his fists, huh? Good in a brawl? I mean if a feller were to get a little rambunctious on Saturday n' the sheriff happened along..."

"Look. You start worrying about getting this fence fixed and not if you're going to get thrown into the hoosegow next time you want to raise a ruckus in town."

"I'm just curious that's all." He managed to look real hurt.

"Well, I tell ya what. Why don't you just go into to town challenge the new sheriff to a shootout or just try to pick a fight with him?" I was getting a little peeved.

"Well, maybe that's just what I'll do! Yep. I could do just that."

Luckily for me that was the end of that conversation and we could get back to work.

But it seemed that a lot of other folk were thinking along the same lines or at least wondering what the new sheriff was going to be like. On the day of his arrival there was a whole passel of people just hangin' around to get a glimpse of the new law for Medicine Bow. I sure felt sorry for the man.

_**Emmett Ryker:**_

All right, I'll be the first to admit it, I was a little more than proud to be the next sheriff of Medicine Bow, Wyoming. I take my work seriously. So, when I saw the young lady all on her own swimming I figgered a little protecting was part of my job.

Of course she wasn't too thrilled at being snuck up on and kinda took it the other way, that I was bothering her. A lawman learns to be impartial. So, seeing it her way I retreated to a discrete distance whilst still keepin an eye out for less gentlemanly lookers or varmints looking for a bit of tasty meat.

She did look kinda cute even with wet hair streaming over her face and nose wrinkled in anger. Nice eyes and nice...well you know from what I could see which wasn't that much.

From the rustling of the bushes she must of moved faster than a scalded cat getting dressed. I stayed hidden until I saw her take to the path leading to town. But when I saw her limping, I figgered she would need a ride.

"You all right, Miss?" I asked polite like.

She pretended to ignore me and tried to walk faster. I wasn't expecting her to give a little bleat of pain and fall down clutching her leg. Scared the beegeezus out of me!

_**Jane Jotain:**_

I got out of the water as quick as I could and hardly taking time to dry off proper, got dressed. I never thought I'd get caught out, and by a stranger too. I know most of the menfolk in town, most are pretty decent, some aren't of course, but they don't pay any attention to cripples.

I tried to convince myself that I was shaking from the sudden chill of the water then from being scared. I was too sensible to be scared of a drifter.

I should have known better than to go half running down the road, barely dry from swimming. That treacherous leg, the bane of my existence failed me again. One moment I was on the road on my feet, the next down with my leg doubled beneath me. I think he said something to me, but I knew I had to get my hands on the leg, if I didn't the cramp would last longer and I would be a real cripple for days. Step-Mother would know I'd been swimming and all hell would break loose.

Then his hands were on my leg. He found the right spots and wasn't shy about pulling and stretching the muscles into softening. Not since Daddy died...I let a tear dribble down my cheek. I should have done something, but at that moment all I could feel was the immense relief at the cramp easing. I started breathing again. I just lay there with my eyes closed and listened to his warm voice. I trusted him. As the muscles relaxed and I got my leg back his touch became more gentle, more...something.

I was more than relieved to lean on him as I walked or rather hobbled the cramp out. It was a bad one, but luckily with his help I could at least move. Then he told me his name.

_**Emmett Ryker:**_

I've seen men shot, busted up from bar brawls and the like, but seeing that poor girl bearing the awful pain of the cramp in silence was the worst thing I'd ever seen. Her face was so pale and eyes screwed shut. Only a tear or two dribbled to mix with the sweat.

"What do I do?" I asked kneeling next to her. She just shook her head and reached for her own leg to rub it. I got the idea. It was easy for me to bat her hands away and I slid my hands under the skirt and started rubbing the muscles. It was like a bar of iron at first, but I just kept kneading at them and smoothing them from ankle to calf and over a knee that seemed awfully lumpy and turned wrong. I kept talking to her, nothing important just to get her mind off the pain and I suppose the indignity. It took about five minutes before I could feel the muscles begin to loosen. They would occasionally jump and stiffen causing a small tightening of her hands that were clenched by her sides. As the muscle relaxed, so did she. After about ten minutes or so I found that I was more caressing the leg than massaging it. I carefully pulled the skirts back down and waited for her to open her eyes.

"Thank you." she said and tried to smile. "Can you help me to stand? I need to walk on it."

"You sure?" I asked, but then hauled her easily to her feet. Guess she knew what worked. It seemed she got these cramps a lot.

I had to pretty much hold her up the first couple of steps, but then she took more and more weight on the leg. If it still hurt, she wasn't letting it bother her, or at least not complaining.

"I suppose I ought to introduce myself, I'm Emmett Ryker..."

"The new sheriff? Oh noooo..." She groaned in pain for the first time. "Step-mother and my step-sisters will kill me!"

_**Jane Jotain:**_

"The new sheriff? Step-mother and my step-sisters will kill me!" I could feel my leg buckle out from under me. Luckily he still had a firm hold on me, I found myself lifted up into his saddle and him behind me.

"Why?" He asked. His breath was warm against my cheek.

"Why what?" I countered trying not to squirm as my wet legs chafed on the saddle.

"Why is your family going to be mad at you?"

"Because my sisters want to meet you and give you a good impression, and" I sighed. "I'm not the sort of person that is impressive."

"Oh I don't know. I did mistake you for a mermaid." He laughed, not unkindly. "That's pretty impressive."

"Oh but Lily and Rose are beautiful." I protested.

"And are they more than just beautiful?" He asked, showing that he was smarter than most cowhands that stopped at the pretty part.

"They can play the piano and sing." I said warily. I was careful about what I said, words sometimes have a way of getting to the wrong ears and causing trouble.

"Uh huh." He said knowingly and wisely left it at that.

"And are you named after a flower too? Pansy? Blossom? Poppy?" The warmth from him began to soak through my back and I began to relax a little leaning more on him.

"I'm Jane. Just Jane."

"Well Janey-girl, it is nice name. Honest."

"Plain. Like me." I said firmly. I knew my place. How was I to know that would change in a few short days.

_**Bret Maverick:**_

Well Medicine Bow wasn't Dodge City or Cheyenne, but it was a neat little town, well on it's way to being civilized. I found the hotel quite comfortable, but the bulky letter waiting for me was enough to set a person off thoughts of comfort.

My job was simple, well for a man like me simple.

I was getting paid, and paid well and I had my own reasons for wanting to get the job done over with and get out of Medicine Bow before some scruples caught up with me, or the law did. I began to make plans and get to work.

_**Jane Jotain:**_

It wasn't really an excuse to go see him again. There had been signs around the house and the shed that just couldn't be explained. We were four women on our own, I'd hate to wake up one morning and find ourselves robbed or worse murdered in our beds.

Rose and Lily's suitors weren't the kind to come calling at midnight and step-mother was definite that I was imagining things. But I'm too down to earth to have a wild imagination, and there was the proof of the footprints, the broken latch on one of the windows and the dog's unease.

I'd let Emmett, ah Sheriff Ryker, decide if I was being imaginative.

_**Emmett Ryker:**_

I kinda hoped I would run into my mermaid again. She looked a lot better dry than all wet and bedraggled. Though her pretty hair was pulled way too tight in a bun in the back of her head.

"I think we have prowlers." She said right away, after sitting herself in a chair.

"What makes you think that?" I asked sitting back in my chair. Most of the women of the town had found some pretext to call on me this first week. About half of them brought some kind of pie or cake, with a few pointed remarks on how a bachelor doesn't get home cooking much. Mrs. Tucker at the boarding house would probably take exception to the slur. If I didn't get some real sherriffing work in soon I'd end up looking like a fattened hog.

Any ways the other half of the ladies were sure that there was a chicken thief or some such sniffing around the house. It was usually followed up with a suggestion to 'drop by' after dark to investigate the outrage. One lady told me that the burglar showed up on Thursdays when her husband was off playing poker with his friends. I usually just smiled and sent Old John, the jailor to sniff around after dark. Since he was well over 50 and happily married, that usually sorted out the prowler problem.

I was a little disappointed that Janey had chosen this way of meeting again. My brief encounter had given me a better impression of her personality.

Her account was, if a bit hesitant, concise and she seemed genuinely concerned. Unfortunately, we were interrupted by a crowd of men yelling and taking on about horse thieves. By the time we were ready to go after the culprits Janey's problem had gone plumb out of my mind.

I should have been more careful.

_**Bret Maverick:**_

My mysterious employer's way of introducing me to the lady was not what I would have chosen, but he'd already set the wheels in motion. A dubious creature had been sent to make a nuisance of himself and I was to rescue the lady.

Of course, things never go strictly to plan and it was the lady herself who managed to oust the villain leaving me with egg on face, or in this case a busted head.

_Never, ever,_ wake up a household of women. Lord the wailing, screaming and carrying on could have woke up the whole town. Matter of fact there was a sizeable crowd before things got settled. Luckily the sheriff was out of town and the deputy was more interested in the sight of Miss Lily and Miss Rose in their nightrobes than the description of the poor soul who was now stumbling out in the dark with the imprint of Miss Jane's shovel on his backside. My own injuries, though insignificant were greeted by screams of terror and a show of good sense on the part of Miss Jane who set about cleaning the messy head wound with no sign of disgust.

She seemed a nice girl. Not a beauty, but nice. It made me feel even more like a cad for what I had to do.

"It seems that the knight in shining armor has been rescued by the princess." I smiled and then winced as she put some stinging stuff on the small wound.

She didn't say anything. My informant had briefed me on her habits, so I knew she wasn't much of a talker. Well, I could handle the talking part easy enough.

"I believe introductions are in order." I turned in the chair so I could face her. While she had comported herself satisfactorily through the whole dust up I could see by the white line around her mouth that she was more upset than she was showing.

"JaaaaAAAne!" One of the sisters came sweeping in with hair flying. "Mother says to make tea. We are so distraught." she eyed me like a side a beef deciding whether or not to be civil or not.

"Bret, Bret Maverick." I bowed to the ladies, but took Miss Jane's hand in mine and gave it what I hoped was a comforting squeeze.

"Mr. Maverick." Even rising in the middle of the night to deal with a prowler had not ruffled the older lady's feathers a bit. I wondered if her hair was a wig since it looked like she'd just spent two hours doing it. "We are in your debt for rousting the robber. I hope you are not too injured and that Jane has been tending you carefully." She smiled. I've seen rattlers that could smile nicer than that lady. "Jane - dear- do make tea for all of us." She said 'dear' as if it tasted bad in her mouth.

She then swept out of the room, pushing the rather reluctant sister in front of her. That left the two of us in the kitchen together.

"It's a wig isn't it?" I said the first thing that came into my head which of course was the right thing, because I got a very nice laugh from the young woman.

"I'd always had my suspicions." She confessed and smiled engagingly, her own fear seemed to fade with the good humor.

I watched her as she very neatly bustled around the kitchen with an ease born of familiarity and within a short amount of time had a neat tray of tea things set out with four cups.

"You miscounted." I remonstrated. "There are five of us."

"Oh, I usually drink my tea in the kitchen..." she said softly.

"Well Miss..." It wouldn't do to let her know that I knew her name already.

"Jane, Jane Jotain."

"Miss Jotain, I do believe tea was made for all of us."

Of course the tea was drunk in the parlor. It was an uncomfortable event. The stepmother was trying to be civil to both me and Jane. The sisters thought that this was too bizarre to be withstood and poor Miss Jane was caught in the middle of a situation that seemed very unreal to her. I did my poor best and by the time I escaped from the Jotain household my head was really aching from the blow and the tea party. But I had an invitation to visit the next day and that was to be the start of things. Lord, I sure hope I knew what I was doing. The books made it seem so easy...

_**Jane Jotain**_:

It was certainly the strangest night of my life. First off the prowler, to my dismay, did show up. A rather filthy individual who I smelled first, before seeing him. I felt only a moment of pity for the poor soul until he started breaking things. Stealing for food or money is one thing, but to break things for the pleasure of it made me mad. Especially when he broke my Mama's little shepardess statue.

I had fortified myself with a sturdy weapon, a shovel from the shed. I had considered Daddy's old Colt revolver, but I knew from experience that I'd most likely end up shooting something other than a robber.

It took me some time later to get the string of events clear in my mind, at the time things just happened so fast.

The thief had come in through a window and was being rather noisily destructive. Lily and Rose could sleep through a stick of dynamite thrown under their bed, but I was surprised that step mother had not put in an appearance. She had a nose for trouble, especially trouble that I was involved in like a hound on the trail of a fox.

I hauled off and walloped him across the backside with the shovel. No warning, no screeching ( I leave the screeching to Lily and Rose). He bleated like a goat. Just then a man comes busting into the front door like an avenging angel.

"Get out of here you miserable cur..." He begins and is shoved against the open doorway hitting his head with a soggy thump as the robber makes his escape howling and pawing at his shovel dented backside. My leg may be weak, but my arms are good and strong from scrubbing floors and waxing woodwork.

Step Mother then makes a dramatic entrance waking my sisters with her bellow of outrage.

The rescuer seems a nice fellow although he is a bit woozy from the hit to the head.

Bret Maverick. A nice name. A very nice man. We had tea together, all five of us and step mother was civil to him and surprisingly enough to me. I wasn't going to complain if Mr. Maverick seemed to bring out the best in step mother. She could certainly use it. As he left, he turned and winked at me.

While it would have been nicer if Emmett had come to our rescue, Mr. Maverick was quite a pleasant substitute.

Besides which, I was a bit angry with Sheriff Ryker, I realize that horse thieves are more important than a sneak thief, but he could have sent a deputy over to keep an eye out. We had to depend on a chance stranger passing by.

By the time I'd crawled into bed, I had gotten myself very angry with Emmett Ryker which is why I had the dream about him. Funny it was he who rescued me in my dreams, not Mr.Maverick. But dreams are always a bit strange.

_**The Virginian:**_

I've known Jane for some years now. Once you got to know her, it was like meeting a different person. Most folk never looked beyond the limp, the silence, and the mean stories her sisters spread about. Not to speak of her step-mother who never had anything good to say about the girl.

Strangely enough, I got to know her through Trampas. He had taken an instant shine to the girl. He'd tease her and laugh at her and pretty much act like a brother. I found out a lot later that Trampas had a little sister who had been crippled. She had died young, but in some ways he'd found that little sister again in Jane.

The judge had tried a few times, get Jane to come to Shiloh, but she'd always been too busy caring for their home to get away.

"Someone has to feed the chickens and do the wash. If I don't do it, it doesn't get done." She'd say quietly. "And I don't mind doing it."

I can't say I liked it when that Maverick fellow just showed up out of the blue and began to make changes in Jane.

The Saturday night dance was the first place he brought her. One would have thought that a lame girl at a dance was pretty mean, but he'd led her very nicely through some slow dances and brought a flush to her cheeks and shine to her eye that made her look pretty.

Sure left a lot of folk with their mouths open to see her there and with such a man. She was smiling and laughing.

I didn't grudge her the fun, but I wish it had been Trampas, Steve, or even myself who had thought of it. I didn't trust that feller one bit.

I managed to get a dance for myself with Jane. I kinda wished Trampas was there, but I'd sent him out with the Sheriff after those horse theives.

"You seem to be having fun." I began neutrally.

"Lots." She smiled up at me confidently. "Not just the dancing and music, but seeing the looks on people's faces."

"That Maverick feller..." I began.

"Bret?"

Darn it, she was already on a first name basis with him.

"Now look honey," I began."You don't have that much experience with men..."

"Are you trying to tell me what to do?" Her voice got a bit tight.

"I just want you to be careful..." I steered her carefully around a few couples that were trying to gawk and listen to us.

"Well, maybe I don't want to be careful. Maybe I don't want to be sensible or just plain Jane anymore." She got a real stubborn look in her eye. I've seen that in females before. There is just no reasoning with them then.

We finished out the dance with her silent. I felt real bad. Like I'd done something wrong. The look that Maverick gave me was pretty withering. At least he put up a good show of soothing her ruffled feathers. They soon left the dance. Left me with a real uneasy feeling.

_**Jane Jotain:**_

It was the best time I'd ever had. Really. Bret was handsome and gallant and made me laugh. I got more fun from watching people's amazed expressions than from the fun with him. For one night at least, I could be as silly and frothy as my step-sisters. Tomorrow I would be back to plain, sensible Jane.

I had expected the sly remarks from Lily and Rose, and the sniff of disapproval from step-mother, but it was a man I thought as a friend that the real damper was put on the evening.

Trampas would have understood, but the Virginian is almost always so serious. He had to go and lecture me and treat as if I was a green girl of fifteen instead an old maid of 25, though my birthday wasn't until next week.

I tried not to let it spoil the evening. Bret was real sweet when I asked to go home. He kissed my cheek before I went in and that was real nice.

_**Emmett Ryker:**_

After three days of hard riding and nasty gunfight in the end which killed one of the horse theives and wounded one of my posse, I got back to Medicine Bow. The Virginian and the Judge were glad to get back the lost horses and a cheerful Trampas. I locked the rest of the bunch in the jail.

"Anything happen while I was gone?" I asked Charley, one of my deputies.

"Nah, not much." He drawled. "A bust up at the saloon Friday. Perkins kid broke a window, again."

"He get a hiding?" I asked grinning. I had learned a lot about Medicine Bow citizens already. Young Mr. Perkins had a passion for slingshots, but no skill with them.

"Yep, his Daddy tanned his hide, but good." He chortled. "Then there was an ' tempted robbery at the Jotain place. Some stranger feller happened by and rousted him out before he could do much damage. Miss Jane took a shovel to him. Probably all the way to California by now." He chortled. "Was sure a ruckus with all them females screechin' and hollerin'."

I felt a real bad taste in the back of my throat. I should have known better, dammit. Janey wasn't the type to be crying wolf, and I'd ignored her.

Charley's next words made my stomach turn over.

"The feller who happened by has been sparkin' Miss Jotain, Miss _Jane _Jotain, of all people. Well, no accountin' for tastes."

It was my job as sheriff, to look into these things. So, I did. I went to have a look at this 'feller'.

I'd seen his type before, slick tin horn gamblers. I don't know what he had in mind by being so attentive to Janey, but I was sure it wasn't for any good reason. The Virginian had told me about his conversation with the girl, so there was no going to her. She was obviously besotted with the no good scoundrel.

We exchanged a few sharp words in public. He made a few insulting remarks which I managed to ignore until he mentioned that he was courting her.

_**Bret Maverick:**_

"Tell me Sheriff" I asked him not looking up from my cards. "Is Miss Jotain a _personal_ interest?"

He seemed to think for a moment. "No, but I would hate to see the young lady hurt."

"Well now, I really think the people of Medicine Bow need to be giving you more money, Sheriff." I said and smiled winningly up at the man. "You just go out of your way to protect everyone in this town. Tell me Sheriff, how many kids have you arrested lately for playing hooky or snitching apples out of old ladies trees?"

As I had intended this made him a bit mad and got him away from the real subject of Miss Jane.

"I don't think that is any of your business Mr. Maverick." He said coldly.

"As I don't think it is any of your business regarding the lady I am courting." I countered and turned my head back to the card game. I could feel the hairs on my neck rise from the man standing behind me. I figgered he was the kind of lawman that didn't get too personal when wearing a badge.

I was wrong.

He leaned over real close and whispered in my ear. Almost put me off my game.

_**Jane Jotain:**_

Strange things were happening all around me and all at once. Not just Bret and all, but step-mother was one moment her usual horrible self and the next all smiles and sweetness. The smiles and sweetness scared me. I suppose the thought of my birthday coming up in three days might have made me nervous, though it was often forgotten. At the ripe age of 25, I was beginning to be glad to forget it. Well, my birthday was on Thursday and Saturday night I'd probably get a chance to talk to Trampas. I was still mad at the Virginian for treating me like a green girl. As for Ryker, well, he would probably just laugh about 'old maid's imagination'. No, Trampas was my best bet. He could always come up with answers. Not very good ones, but answers just the same.

Just to add to the whole muddle Mr. Rostov, the bank manager, even stopped me in the street and muttered something about a happy birthday and he'd bring the papers over on Friday. Of course that flew right out of my head when Bret asked me to marry him. I only remembered it later, too much later.

_**Bret Maverick:**_

Timing is everything in my profession. You have to pick your moments. Judge your opponent, figure out how long he can last before the bluff wears thin, how long until the winning pot was in your pocket.

I'd like to blame it on the all-fired rush of my employer. If I had really known the whole story maybe things would have turned out a lot better. Then again, maybe not. I had played the hands well, everything was in place. I got down on bended knee and proposed marriage to Miss Jane.

Pappy was right. No matter how old you get or how much you learn, a man will never understand a woman.

She turned me down.

For no reason. Not that a woman needs a reason. This meant that we were both in trouble. But, before you brand me as a complete cur let me explain how and why it happened.

First of all, I explained in the beginning that there were two reasons why I took the job I was now carrying out. One - was to get out of town and the other was because of the way we were brought up.

In the Maverick household we had two books, one was Hoyle's Book of Rules that Pappy had us memorize as soon as we could read. The other was a legacy from our Mother, bless her soul, a book of fairy tales. Whenever me and brother Bart weren't learning to palm aces or stack decks, or figure odds we were playing knights in shining armor. We killed dragons, ousted evil ogres from the outhouse, and rescued damsels in distress. We Mavericks always seem to have had a tender spot for damsels in distress. We also swore we'd love to get our hands on an evil step-mother some day and give her what for. So, when this fellow said that he needed me to cheat a girl of her rightful inheritance and that the step-mother was behind the plot I didn't hesitate. Sir Bret to the rescue! Or at least I tried.

I knew I didn't have much time to spare, the instructions had made that clear.

_**Jane Jotain:**_

I think I handled the whole thing quite sensibly. Oh, Bret did everything right, the bunch of flowers, the bended knee, the firm grip he had on my hand. My calloused, ungraceful hand red from scrubbing laundry just that morning. Good mood or not, stepmother expected wash done on Wednesdays. Rose or Lily would have appreciated the scene better. For a single wild second, I enjoyed the thought and then told him 'No.' His jaw dropped in surprise. I don't think Bret Maverick is easily thrown off balance and, in a sense, his disbelief that I would turn him down hardened what little resolve I had.

I liked him. I really did. He was as much fun as Trampas, surely as handsome if not more than the Virginian, in a rather more showy way, but he...oh I don't know... he just wasn't the right man. He looked pretty upset when he left the house. I don't think I broke his heart, but he did mutter something about tipping over an apple cart.

Step mother was lying in wait as if she expected the whole thing. When I told her that I had refused his offer of marriage she got real mad. I won't go into to the things she said. That woman always had a tongue that could flay the hide off a buffalo. The gist was that I was an ungrateful wretch who deserved to be an old maid. I was unlovable. No man would ever want me again.

"I suppose you are right." I replied with dignity and went to bed early.

It was truly unpleasant. I wished both step mother and Bret Maverick into hell for giving me a most unpleasant day. I indulged in a few tears of self-pity and crawled into bed. By all rights I should have tossed and turned all night, but I fell asleep almost immediately. I was awakened most rudely by a sack being thrown over my head.

_**Bret Maverick:**_

A good gambler always has an ace up his sleeve. The step mother and I had a rather unpleasant rendezvous later that evening. Talk about vipers. Jane should have married me just to get away from that awful scheming woman. She made the mean step mother in Cinderella look like a pushover. I outlined my backup plan to which she grudgingly agreed.

So, I set out to kidnap Jane and take her off to some undisclosed location to 'ruin' her, thereby forcing the marriage issue. Of course I had no such plan. I would however need some local help if both Jane and I were to get out of this with reputations and hides intact. The sheriff would have been the logical choice if he and I had been on speaking terms. Luckily, Jane had told me of her friend Trampas at the Shiloh ranch. I sent a hasty message to the young Lochinvar requesting his aid. I didn't tell the step mother of course and she of course didn't tell me of her plans either, which is why things ended up as wrong as they could get.

_**The Virginian:**_

A lot of people figure Trampas for just a foolish cowboy with nothing better on his mind but the next Saturday night. He just sometimes lets his heart get in the way of his head. Nothing wrong with that in my book. He's a good friend and a smart fellow. He showed me the note from that gambler fellow.

**Miss Jane in danger. Need your help to rescue her from someone who means her harm.** **Bret Maverick**

"I dunno." He said scratching his head. "Who would want to hurt Jane? And what does this Maverick feller have to do with it. And if she's in trouble why not come to see you, or the Judge or something.?"

"Yeah." I said. "There's something really fishy about this whole thing."

"Fishy? Downright strange. I don't like it, no siree." Trampas wasn't wasting much time, he grabbed up his carbine and began putting shells into.

"I'm going with you." I said firmly. I at least owed Jane an apology or something.

"Alright! Let's go bossman!"

_**Bret Maverick:**_

It took some fancy talking to get Trampas and the Virginian to see things my way. Of course that is what I'm good at - fancy talking I mean. Sure beats getting shot at. I can tell you stories about how my quick tongue got me out trouble. Course, it goes the other way too, and get a man in a powerful lot of trouble as well.

As kidnappings went, it was pretty bad. The dog took one look at Trampas and started whining and barking like he was a long lost brother. The Virginian gave me boost up onto the porch roof so's I could climb into the window. I think I did some damage to his anatomy as my progress was followed by some grunts and some soft cursing that doesn't bear repeating. I managed to get into the room kinda quiet like, but it was too late. Someone had got there first. There was signs of a struggle, with the bed all ripped to pieces. It looked like whoever got there first had used the sheets to tie her up.

"Hey!" I whispered loudly out of the window. "She's gone!"

_**The Virginian:**_

Well things just seemed to go from bad to worse. I wasn't too sure about Maverick's cock and bull story, but somehow he talked me and Trampas into going along with the 'kidnapping'. We were to spirit Jane off to Shiloh where she would be safe. Only, that's not what happened. Once we found out that Jane had already gone missing things began to look bad. While Trampas and Maverick were having a heated whispered argument about where and how Jane had disappeared I went for Emmett Ryker. Which would have been the smart thing to do in the first place. Emmett took pains to remind me of that fact several times that long night. Rightly so, I expect.

I was a little squeamish, but Emmett and Maverick were both pretty intent on talking to Mrs.Jotain, Jane's step mother. Didn't even let her get out of bed, they both just marched in there bold as brass to lay the situation before the lady.

"Where is she?" Emmett looked mighty peeved. He gets that tight look around the jaw when he's riled. I've seen gunslingers back down from that look. She had the guts to stand up to him until Maverick started playing with this furry thing that I recognized later as her head of hair sitting on the dressing table.

"You put that back!" She shrieked.

"Why is Jane gone?" Emmett growled. Maverick had lit a cigar and was contemplating the cigar and the wig.

"It's not that she needs it! It was my home too! It wasn't fair. He left everything to that stupid cripple..." She burst out. I know I looked pretty grim and so did the other three. Within moments she was singing like a canary. Or croaking like a crow is more like it.

_**Bret Maverick:**_

I know it sounded like something out of a dime novel and I suspect that is where the lady got her ideas from. Her husband had died unexpectedly, leaving his house and money to the child of his first marriage. His second wife was to live in the house until the girl was 25 or married. She had hidden that fact from Jane, taking her inheritance and spending it on herself and her own two daughters. Things might have gone on well for years until someone at the bank had noticed it. That person then took to blackmailing Mrs.Jotain. They managed to have a rather uneasy, but mutually satisfying relationship until they realized that when Jane turned 25 all would be revealed. So, they decided to marry her off to someone despicable and ruthless. I am ruthless as a gambler and could be called despicable on occasion, but as a person I assure you I am quite human and a rather incurable romantic, if the truth be told.

I wasn't sure if it was the sheriff's steely glare or my threatened violence to her hair piece that made the old lady sing, but she did mention that her cohort had decided to take matters into his own hands. Which is why Jane was missing.

_**Jane Jotain:**_

I did give him a good fight, not bad for having been woken up out of my sleep with a thick canvas bag flung over my head. At least it wasn't my smelly thief. Matter of fact, the smell of cheap cologne was almost overpowering. I was just beginning to get an edge when something hit me on the head, or at least I think it did. The next thing I knew I was bouncing around in the back of a wagon. I seemed to be wrapped up tight, uncomfortably tight. My head hurt awfully and I didn't feel well at all. I think I must have passed out a few times because it is all confusing. Mostly I felt sick and frightened. I always thought I was sensible and calm, instead I found myself whimpering like a lost puppy.

At some point, I was hauled roughly out of the back of the wagon and I was released from most of my wrappings except for the bag over my head. He kept my hands tied real tight in front of me. I felt like I should put up a fight, but my head hurt and I felt confused by the bag.

"I won't kill you. But I figure you'll never be found." He hissed nastily in my ear and before I knew what was happening he gave me a vicious shove forwards. I stumbled forwards to fall on rough wooden planks. There was the sound of a heavy door being closed and the awful thud that my scattered wits finally figured out was a bar across the outside of the door. I shivered with the cold dressed only in my flannel nightgown and the bag over my head.

_**Emmett Ryker:**_

I've never hit a woman before in my life, but I sure was tempted that night. As it was I had to settle for flaying the hide off that no-good gambler Maverick. He did get the old buzzard to talk, I'll give him that. I was none too pleased with the Virginian either. He should have known better. If truth be told I was just as mad at myself. I should have been here.

"What's the fellows name?" I asked leaning over her threateningly.

"I can't tell you..."She got a strange glint in her eye. "He could hurt me...or my girls..." She ventured a sniff that wasn't terribly convincing.

"Yet, you let him hurt Jane." Trampas sounded pretty cold. He had a look in his eye that made even me feel uneasy.

"Sheriff Ryker." The Virginian took my arm carefully. "Why don't we go outside and discuss this problem. I think Trampas and Mr.Maverick would like a few words alone with the..."his voice dripped sarcasm "...lady."

"Oh I don't know. You remember what happened last time..." I shook my head. "But I feel that time is important here." My last words were honest enough. I had a hollow feeling in my gut that boded trouble.

She had her mouth open like a trout so it was easy to slip her the bait. She took it hook, line, and sinker.

"Mr. Osgood at the bank. He's the second senior teller. He said he wouldn't hurt her..." her own voice trailed off in disbelief.

_**Jane Jotain:**_

I was determined to at least get that awful sack off my head. It took some effort and squirming, but I finally got it off. Only to be faced with complete darkness. I almost wished I had left the sack on. It was more comforting than this oppressive closed in darkness.

Gradually, however, my eyes grew used to the gloom and I could determine the nature of my prison. It was shack, probably used for storing things as it seemed quite sturdy, but there was no amenities, no fireplace, beds or furnishings. There weren't any windows, but cold air seemed to whistle right through me. Summer in Wyoming can be quite hot, but I was chilled to the bone.

I gnawed for a while at the strips of sheets binding my hands and finally got them loose. I have to admit to crying quite loudly when the blood came back into my hands. I was feeling quite horrible and lay curled up on the rough floor trying to keep what warmth I had. After a while I was aware of dim light seeping through the rafters and a breeze coming from above. There was space between the eaves of the roof and the wall. It looked small, but I was willing to try to get out of my prison. I didn't think anyone was going to find me or even come looking.

Believe it or not, I used to be a real handful when I was a child. I was always running around getting into trouble, fighting, riding my pony at breakneck speeds, and climbing trees. How I loved climbing trees! I'd sit up so high and lean and sway with the tree in the wind. It was probably like what birds feel when flying. So, climbing up the rough timber wall of the cabin should be possible.

Daddy tried his best with me, but in the end he'd just laugh and give me a hug. There was just the two of us, since Mama had died before I even knew her. Looking back, it seemed that I was two different people, before the accident and then after.

I don't remember any of it, matter of fact I seemed to have missed a whole lot of memories. They said I fell out of a tree, the big one in the meadow. It seems strange, since I'd been climbing that tree since I was tall enough to reach the lower branches and knew every limb and branch like the road into Medicine Bow.

I was sick for a long time. Somewhere in the middle of all the pain and worry _she_ and her two daughters showed up. Before I knew it I had a step-mother and two step sisters. I wasn't against the idea, not in the beginning and things were okay for a while. I started to learn to walk again and step-mother made the house cozy and neat. Left to ourselves Lily and Rose and I would have learned to get along, but Daddy was too protective of me and step-mother said they would tire me too much.

If Daddy hadn't died I'd like to think things would have been better, but I had barely begun to heal inside and out when he was gone. It took me a long time to recover from that loss. By the time I had begun to live step-mother had things well in hand. I was a half-wit cripple only kept on out of charity and duty in the house I had grown up in.

I hadn't been expected to live. I wasn't ever supposed to walk. I wouldn't ever do normal things again. All these things I won for myself. The rest of my childish dreams I had put away, or at least I thought I had. Now, I wished I had taken Bret's offer of marriage, even if he was the wrong man. I put that thought aside and concentrated on shoving myself through the small space that would give me my freedom.

_**The Virginian:**_

It didn't take much shaking up to get that varmint to tell us where he'd taken Jane. Any one of the four of us would have been willing to do some more roughing up and I think he knew that. Trampas hit him anyway. Then so did Maverick. Not to be left out I gave him a belt as he was sliding down the side of the building. Emmett looked at all three of us sourly.

"Ya didn't leave any for me." He growled and dragged the fellow by one leg down the stairs and through the middle of town through a few piles of horse droppings and mud.

"Kinda testy." Maverick remarked laconically while inspecting his knuckles carefully.

"Remind me not to get Ryker riled - ever." Trampas said admiringly.

Emmett was back shortly after disposing of the messy body in his jail.

"I oughta toss you in with him." He glared at Maverick.

"Now Emmett...I began trying to smooth things a bit. Emmett was still mad. Hell we all were.

"Now sheriff. I did try to tell you that I had only Miss Jane's interests at heart." He cocked his head and then grinned broadly. "She did turn me down."

_**Emmett Ryker:**_

I would have been happy to blow his brains out or just beat the skunk into the greasy spot that he was. He took the joy away from me by confessing to all of his sins. He'd found out about the misplaced Will, blackmailed the step-mother for years and finally had the nerve to hire Mr. Maverick to remove Janey.

Thank God Bret Maverick turned out to be a decent man, if not a rotten scoundrel on the side.

But, the thought of him and my Janey was like grit on my teeth.

_**Virginian:**_

It's a good thing I know the countryside so well, riding in the dark is no mean feat. We had to take our time, but time could be running out.

"She's a sensible girl." Trampas said, trying to convince himself.

"No she isn't." Maverick said.

"Not hardly." Emmett said at the same time.

"What makes you two, who have only known her for less than a couple of weeks know her better than us?" Trampas said hotly.

I wanted to know the same thing. But then, Jane Jotain had become a different girl - no woman - since the two of them showed up in Medicine Bow.

When we got to the tightly shut up shed, the moon had already begun to set and it would be a good two hours before sunrise so it was pretty dark. Osgood had said he'd left her tied up and with a sack over her head. It was real quiet.

We made short work of the door with the heavy bar.

"Jane! Jane! We've come to rescue you!" Maverick called out helpfully.

The room was dark, but after a few moments of search we realized that there was no one there.

No Jane Jotain.

"That weasel lied to us." Trampas gritted out. "I'll skin him alive."

"Only after I've got my hands on him." Maverick added.

Emmett had lit a lucifer and was looking around.

"No. He didn't lie. She was here." He held up the tattered remains of a sheet. He held up the match until with a oath it burned down to his fingers. He lit another and looked around.

"Looks like she escaped." There was a note of admiration in his voice. "Look. There is a gap between the wall and the roof and she went out that way." He pointed to one corner.

"How do you know?" Maverick said testily.

"I'm the sheriff. I know these things." Emmett replied a little smugly.

"Piece of her nightgown up there." I added helpfully, trying to keep the powder keg between those two from blowing. We had Jane to find.

"Good girl." I heard Emmett mutter. "We'll have to go on foot. "

"You know," Trampas said thoughtfully. "She might not just come out right away. I mean she's probably hiding and pretty scared."

Just goes to show that Trampas knows how to think. I agreed. She probably went to ground like a rabbit being chased by a fox.

_**Jane Jotain**_:

I could hear voices, so I hid. I wasn't sure who had hit me over the head and tried to get rid of me, so I hid. It was just before dawn which made it hard to see more than just gray shadows and even voices seemed far off and there was a strange buzzing sound like bees in my head that seemed to be growing stronger.

"Jane!! Jane!!" They were calling my name, and despite the buzzing the voice sounded familiar. It was Trampas! He came looking for me!

"Trampas! Here!" I tried to call, but couldn't hear more than a whispering croak. His voice faded away and I was left alone again. I tried to get to my feet, but both legs were just too tired. a strange thought crossed my mind for the first time. I was going to die. I was going to be found under this bush, covered in muck and leaves and dressed in my nightgown. And probably next Spring. The image was too much to bear, so I crawled out from my hiding place just to see four men running towards me. I think I saw four anyway, because everything seemed a bit unclear and the buzzing was messing up my head. I think I fainted then, because the next thing I knew I was being wrapped up in some coats and someone was trying to talk to me.

**The Virginian**:

It was a good thing that Emmett had us double up on our searching, because otherwise we would have just missed her. Maverick saw her first and hollered. We all came running, but not fast enough. The girl passed out just as we got to her, her face into the dirt. Maverick got to her first. We all breathed a sigh of relief when he said, "She's alive."

"I'll go get the horses." Trampas took off and the three of us had our coats off and around the poor freezing girl.

"Shiloh is closer than town." Emmett said and carefully brushed a bit of twig-laden hair from off Jane's face.

"We'll need a wagon." Maverick added. "I don't think Miss Jane's in any condition to ride."

"I'll go get a wagon from Shiloh. Trampas can go get the doctor."

"I'll be staying with Janey." Emmet's voice brooked no argument and he glared at Maverick.

"As will I."

Those two were on the verge of killing each other with looks if not guns when Jane began to come to.

"...mmett?" She croaked and even though wrapped up in three coats managed to end up in his arms. I guess that took care of the problem between Mr.Maverick and Emmett Ryker.

_**Jane Jotain**_:

I saw Emmett right next to me and I just threw myself at him. I was crying and wheezing. It hurt to breathe and it hurt worse to cry which only made me cry more. And Emmett was holding me and saying things like darling and love and that made me cry more. And then I got sick on him. I think I fainted more from shame than anything else.

Things got a little strange after that. I guess I was pretty sick. I do remember holding on to Emmett, or at least I think it was him, for dear life. I think he may have even kissed me, but my memories of that time are kinda confusing.

_**Emmett Ryker**_:

I've never been so happy to see such a sorry sight. Janey was all dirty, cold, and crying. I didn't even seem to mind when she got all sick on me. I said a lot of things to her that night, but I don't think she remembered any of it. When I next saw her it was like nothing had ever happened - well between us - if you know what I mean.

I had the hard job of digging up all the horrid details of her abduction with the County Prosecutor once Janie was well enough to talk. I did my job. Judge Garth was there, as well, to protect her interests. I had to be disinterested. I had to get the facts. In order to do so, I had to ask her questions that I personally had no liking for. Worse yet, that gambler feller was hanging about and I didn't a chance to talk to her alone. Besides which we had to get to town and take care of Mrs. Jotain and her daughters before they razed the house or stole half the contents.

_**Jane Jotain:**_

Bret explained about the fairy tales and was pleased that he had helped make a happy ending. All of them were pleased. I had been rescued from a nasty end. The real bad guy was in jail. Step-Mother, Lily and Rose were going to leave town without a fuss. Bret said that the Judge and the sheriff were looking after the house and the contents. Mr. Rostov, at the bank, would be paying me back some of the money his clerk had stolen. I found it hard to be enthusiastic though everyone else seemed pleased.

So, it all turned out well.

Bret was very sweet and apologized profusely for 'leading me a dance.' Trampas gave a lecture of sorts about being careful of gamblers and bank clerks and that everything was all right now, wasn't it? I spent a week at Shiloh, being spoiled by the Judge, Betsy, and the Virginian.

Sheriff Ryker wasn't too happy though. He was pretty gruff with me when questioning me with the prosecutor. Not very nice at all. I guess he regretted ever meeting me or having to deal with my problems.

_**The Virginian:**_

Everyone seemed pleased with the happy ending. Trampas was sure that he was the hero of the day and the story began to take on a life of its own. The bank teller became bigger, meaner, and more threatening with each telling. Mind you he was a bit more careful with Mrs. Jotain, even if she was an old witch she was still a lady. If you want to go so far as to call her that.

Maverick hung around for about a week, charming everyone and lightening everyone's pockets at the bunkhouse. Me, I know better than to play with a professional gambler.

He kept Jane amused while she got over the bad case of the quinsy. Luckily, that and the bump on the head were her only injuries. But, she got quiet again. Always was like that, but I think a little more so now. Trampas did talk to me about it, and we figgered to keep an eye on her a little more. She did brighten up a bit when the Doc said she could get up and then she demanded to go home.

I did wonder why Emmett never came to see her.

_**Jane Jotain:**_

I was happy to get back home. I don't think I ever worked so hard under step mother's thumb. I rearranged the furniture. Dusted every corner and ceiling, scrubbed and polished and buffed and did everything the way I liked it.

And in the end I sat in the parlor room with a pot of tea and all alone. How many times I wished for quiet and solitude and now that I had it - I was lonely. Even for Lily and Rose and maybe in a small way step mother.

Or it was the fact that I was back to being just plain Jane again. No gallant suitors, no dances, no adventures. Even facing death was more exciting than this. I felt like having a good cry, but even that fell flat with only a few lonely tears dribbling down my face and then stopping. I took the pot of tea out of the parlor and went and sat down at the kitchen table. Plain Jane in the kitchen , that was me.

I was so lost in feeling sorry for myself that I didn't hear the knock at the front door at first. I hastily went to answer it.

Emmett Ryker stood there with his hat in his hand. He had on a suit and his hair was slicked back. He smiled that little lop-sided smile of his. "Miss Janey."

I swallowed a little. No man should look that good. I mean the Virginian is more handsome and Trampas is so cute, but Emmett just took my breath away. "Sheriff." I managed to say coolly, though I could feel little bugs dancing in my stomach.

"Can I come in?" He waited until I stepped aside and walked in. "Looks nice." He said. I had put a bouquet of wild flowers on the front table instead of the ugly bowl that had always been there. The dog didn't mind a change of water dish.

"What can I do for you?" I asked.

"Umm can we sit down." He gestured towards the parlor.

As I walked in front of him I could feel his hand hovering over my back. But he didn't touch me.

He sat on the edge of one of the ugly red velvet chairs and I perched on the sofa with my hands clasped in front of me.

"Looks nice." He repeated.

There hadn't been much I could do about the ugly furniture, but I did replace the heavy curtains to let in more light and had removed all the ugly knick-knacks the others had been so fond of .

We seemed to sit there forever in silence.

_**Emmett Ryker:**_

I didn't see much of Janey after I left her at Shiloh. Her short-lived romance with Maverick had been explained as a ruse to catch the swindler. It was a popular subject around town and frankly I wish that the talk would blow over quick - for her sake. Bret Maverick left after a few days. He's a good man, but I told him that Medicine Bow may not survive another visit. He promised to consider it. He'd better.

I kept busy, as usual, there is paperwork connected with sheriffing that a lot folk aren't aware of. Yet, in quiet moments I'd find myself thinking of her. Lord, I still felt a bite in my gut from when I think of her locked up in that shack. I remembered her arms around my neck and the quiet tears that wet my shirt as we waited for the wagon.. I saw her at Shiloh once, but that was as the Sheriff. This would be the first time we could talk alone.

'Ceptin' of course I wasn't sure what I was going to say.

She opened the door after the second knock. She looked good in the bright blue dress, but a little pale and thinner than usual.

"Sheriff." She greeted me and I felt a little uncomfortable. I wasn't here on official business.

I followed her into the parlor, which seemed a clean but cheerless place.

We sat for what seemed a long time in silence.

"Well. I just wanted to see how you were." I finally said.

"I'm fine." She answered. "Would you like some coffee?"

"No. No, I'm fine." I crossed my legs again. It got quiet again.

"If you need any help, now that you are here alone." That seemed to get her attention for a moment she had such a bleak look on her face that I got to my feet and took a step towards her.

_**Jane Jotain:**_

I looked calm, but I could feel my hands sweating and I felt awful. I don't think I could say anything sensible, so, it was good that the conversation was so stilted and strange. Then he mentioned me being alone and all of a sudden it sunk in. I was alone. Much as we didn't get along and no matter that step mother had cheated me and made life a misery, I hadn't been alone. It hurt. He stood up. Emmett was leaving. Then, there wouldn't be anyone else because I knew that I'd fallen in love with him from that first moment he surprised me in the river.

But he would be never more than a passing acquaintance maybe no more concerned than the Virginian or Trampas. I would have to be satisfied with that.

"I mustn't keep you...from where you are going." I said standing up too.

"Going?" he asked tilting his head in that questioning way of his. Maybe he'd smile for me before he went. I loved his smile.

_**Emmett Ryker:**_

She stood up too, a sort of sad look on her face. "I mustn't keep you from where you are going she said.

"Going?" I asked. I wondered what she meant.

"You're all dressed up. To a party somewhere?"

I grinned at her and she smiled back. I loved the way her smile lit up her face. "Well actually I thought you and me could go out for a picnic. Yeah a picnic."

"Me?" She squeaked and then repeated in a more normal tone. "Me?"

"Unless you want to go swimming?"

"Emmett!"

Then I kissed her.

"Emmett."

I kissed her again.

"Ohhh Emmett."

The third kiss shut her up. I sure do hate talkative females.


End file.
